So you wanna be the mayor?
Six declared candidates put themselves in the crosshairs April 20 at a legislative forum where they were asked to reveal their positions on salient topics including homelessness, income taxes and development in Seattle.
The forum, hosted by the 46th Legislative District Democrats at the Seattle Mennonite Church in Lake City, set former and current mayor Mike McGinn and Ed Murray against first-time candidates Nikkita Oliver, Jason Roberts and Cary Moon. Mary Martin, repping the Socialist Workers Party, and perennial candidate and council gadfly, Alex Tsimerman, also attended.
The 40-minute segment flew through some of the most contentious topics in Seattle today, but a few nuggets emerged. Moon, an urban planner and founder of the People’s Waterfront Coalition, was the sole no-vote on an income tax for high earners. Murray, whose tenure in office has been shaped by his response to the homelessness crisis, signaled that even he wasn’t pleased with the policy of homeless encampment cleanups over which he has presided.
Voters have only had about six months’ reprieve from the bruising 2016 presidential campaign before rolling right into what promises to be a contentious mayoral battle given the sexual assault allegations leveled at Murray, McGinn’s surprise entry into the race and Oliver’s significant grassroots credentials.
Silver lining: It’ll be over in August.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Twitter @AshleyA_RC